More info released in Anthony case

Casey Anthony charged with murder in daughter's death

Posted: 4:02 AM, July 30, 2009Updated: 4:02 AM, July 30, 2009

ORLANDO, Fla. - The state attorney's office on Thursday released more than 1,400 pages of new documents in the Casey Anthony case, and it was revealed that her attorney assisted law enforcement after a search of her family's home.

Anthony, 23, remains jailed on first-degree murder charges in the death of her daughter, Caylee, whose remains were found in December. Caylee was 2 years old when she was reported missing last July.

Before Caylee's remains were found, Anthony's defense team wanted to create a DNA profile of the toddler to compare it to any evidence that might surface.

To obtain the DNA sample, the defense collected several items from the Anthony family home, including a Spiderman toothbrush, Tylenol drops, books, toy food and utensils, a pillow case, a bed sheet and a hat.

On Dec. 11, the day remains were found near the Anthony home that were later identified as Caylee, Orange County sheriff's officials searched the Anthony home for items belonging to the toddler to see if anything matched evidence found in the woods.

According to a defense team spokeswoman, Anthony's lead attorney, Jose Baez, voluntarily contacted the FBI the following day and turned over all of the items he had in his possession in case law enforcement needed them.

"I think the defense did the ethical thing, and this should be proof of it," Baez said.

Baez has been accused of unethical behavior in the case although none of the allegations has been proven.

It's unclear whether those items actually helped investigators.

Although the defense said it handed over the belongings in December, the FBI did not forward the package to Orange County sheriff's detectives until March 19.

The documents also show that Cindy Anthony tried to provide detectives with proof that the mysterious baby sitter Zenaida Gonzalez existed.

Shortly after Caylee's disappearance, Cindy Anthony gave investigators several items that the baby sitter would have likely touched, such as toys and DVDs that Caylee reportedly took to Gonzalez's house.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office tested the items for fingerprints, but the results are unknown.

Investigators, however, have repeatedly said that the baby sitter does not exist.

Of the 1,400 pages released, about 700 of them involved a public-records request made by Local 6 News investigative reporter Tony Pipitone more than a year ago of the Orlando Police Department.

The documents show the work history of former probationary police Officer Jesse Grund, the one-time fiance of Casey Anthony.

The records show that other officers were sometimes not comfortable with Grund's performance prior to his resignation for personal reasons in June 2008 -- the month Caylee disappeared.

Also released was a letter from the FBI confirming that Casey Anthony's family -- parents George and Cindy Anthony and her brother, Lee Anthony -- declined to take polygraph tests.

Other documents show reports of unconfirmed Caylee sightings. There are also interview transcripts with the grandparents, which are not new.

Meanwhile, Lee Anthony was deposed by prosecutors on Thursday and likely faced questions about the days leading up to Caylee's disappearance.

Local 6 News reported that prosecutors are trying to get a better idea of the kind of witness Lee Anthony will be on the stand and whether his testimony would be more beneficial to the defense or the prosecution.

Prosecutors will also try to see if there will be any inconsistencies in Lee Anthony's statements.

Lee Anthony's attorney, Thomas Luka, said nothing his client says will be used against him because in the days after Caylee was reported missing, Lee Anthony spoke to his sister several times, with many of the conversations recorded on jailhouse video.

"He would have use immunity for this deposition. He's already received his subpoena, so I'm unconcerned that they would prosecute him for any sort of perjury or anything else like that," Luka said.

Local 6 News reported that Casey Anthony's father, George Anthony, will likely be deposed next week.

Casey Anthony's trial will not begin until 2010.

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